hope this isn't too late to be helpful. i make these every christmas, in christmassy shapes, and every year i have to make more and more! it makes quite soft ginger bread - you could probably make harder biscuits if you bake them a little longer, but be warned - if you over-do it they become VERY hard and inedible!
125g butter
125g soft light brown sugar
200g golden syrup
1 egg yolk
425g plain flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in golden syrup and yolk (i use hand-held electric mixer for this). sift and stir in dry ingredients in 2 batches. press mixture into ball and knead on lightly floured surface until smooth. cover and put in fridge for 30 mins.
take out of fridge and roll out between sheets of greaseproof paper to about 4mm thick. cut into shapes and bake at gas mark 5 for about 8-10 mins (leave a bit of space between the biscuits on the trays as they will spread a little). take them out when they begin to turn golden - they will still be very soft, but will firm up as they cool - if you bake them until they are brown and firm they will be too hard to eat (i know, i tried the first time i made them)! let them firm up on the oven trays for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely, then decorate with royal icing, chocolate buttons, sprinkles, smarties, etc. (you could use the egg white to make royal icing if you like, but i usually cheat and use the tubes of ready made icing)